Robby is thought to be the last chimp in a German circus and his age is unclear. Mr Köhler believes he is 47, but the court said he was 43.

“I’m glad I can keep my child,” the circus director said. “Robby is my seventh child and belongs to the family.”

Animal rights groups were disappointed with the ruling and repeated their call for a nationwide ban on wild animals in circuses.

Peta launched its “Save Robby” campaign in 2011, posting pictures of a dejected-looking chimp in what it called “horrific conditions” in a circus wagon.

“The animal has had a sad life and never had adequate social partners,” it argued.

Animal expert Pierre Grothmann, a key witness in the case, told the court that owing to his upbringing the chimpanzee lacked social skills as well as contact with others and had developmental disorders.

However, Mr Köhler, 70, insisted his family spent four hours a day with the chimp and described Robby as a “personality with human features”.

The court decided that the earlier ruling had failed to take into account the effects of a relocation so late in Robby’s life.

Although Robby was badly disturbed, they assessed that staying with the circus was the lesser of two evils.

Related Articles

[ad_1] Image copyright EPA Image caption Protests have taken place across Russia Russian leader Vladimir Putin has softened planned pension changes following angry protests and a slump in his approval rating. He said the retirement age for women would be increased from 55 to 60 instead of to 63. But a five-year increase for men, […]

[ad_1] Image copyright Reuters Image caption President Tsai Ing-wen (centre): “We let down all our supporters” Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen says she is quitting as leader of the governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) after mayoral election defeats. “Our efforts weren’t enough and we let down all our supporters,” she said. Taiwan’s media report that the […]

[ad_1] Thousands of people had to be evacuated from Kansai airport after the worst storm to hit Japan in 25 years. The major transport hub serving Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto, was cut off when an ocean tanker hit and damaged its bridge to the mainland. Typhoon Jebi forces closure of Kansai airport, near Osaka in […]